Monthly Archives: April 2017

CMBC has published the April 2017 Newsletter! You can view it here: APRIL NEWSLETTER

In this newsletter you will find an update from the registrar, information on BC’s Newborn Screening Program, guidelines for texting with clients, a Q&A on Fluconazole, a report on the Declaration of Commitment to Aboriginal People, a call for committee and panel members and more!

Effective April 1, 2017, Registered Midwives who hold a “General” or “Temporary” class of registration with the College of Midwives of British Columbia (CMBC) are allowed to independently prescribe, order and administer opioids for pain relief in labour and/or the postpartum period, and benzodiazepines for therapeutic rest in prodromal labour or short term management of excessive anxiety in the postpartum period. Full details regarding the Standards, Limits and Conditions for Prescribing, Ordering and Administering Controlled Substances can be found here.

Registered midwives who hold a “Conditional (Return to Practice)” class of registration may be restricted from prescribing, ordering and administering opioids and benzodiazepines on their own authority until their registration class is changed to “General” or “Temporary” registration. Please check the CMBC Register to confirm the class of registration of a midwife and any terms, limits and conditions on the midwife’s license if in doubt.

If you have any questions, please contact CMBC Registrar & Executive Director, Louise Aerts, at registrar@cmbc.bc.ca.

On November 24, 2016, Terry Lake, Minister of Health, signed a ministerial order to amend the Midwives Regulation. The amendment allows certified midwives in BC to independently prescribe, order and administer opioids for pain relief in labour and/or the postpartum period, and benzodiazepines for therapeutic rest in prodromal labour or short term management of excessive anxiety in the postpartum period. A copy of the amended Midwives Regulation can be found here.

CMBC’s Board then approved bylaw changes that would integrate these amendments into the College’s registration, quality assurance and inquiry process. The Board also took this opportunity to do a significant review of the bylaws and made substantive changes which can be found here. These bylaws came in force on April 1, 2017. Please stay tuned for future announcements regarding the new bylaws and how the changes affect our registrants.